[frenchie27]

:hammer:Hi everyone. Charlie, my 3 yr. old has been itching non stop since December, 2010. The vet gave him a cortizone shot plus meds to take at home on a daily basis. Things got a little better. I started suspecting it was the shampoo (walmart's brand for babies) since it got worse after a bath in december, but even though I have not bathe him again since itching started, ran out of meds and the itching came back immediately.

He is miserable. I don't think he sleeps more than 10 minutes straight and he has to scratch.

I read another thread here about "winter itches", but let's be honest, we live in South Texas, it's 45 degrees high today and it's the coldest we've had so far.

He has been on Orijen since puppy and has never had an issue. He takes omega suplements on the side. This started in December and nothing has changed. I need your ideas/thoughts please. Charlie is my baby boy and he is suffering.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!!!:help:

 

[Zoeys mom]

Mine is an itchy mess too- try benedryl we started today on the hunch it could be some kind of allergy. I hear lavender shampoos can be good, oils in the food, and they make anti itch spray which calms Zoe's itchies for awhile

 

[ZAYDA]

Lots of things you need to rule out but it could just be dry skin. Add flax,salmon, oil to his diet.

Don't bath him so much. Maybe you aren't rinsing him good enough. Get an appropriate shampoo.

He may just have allergies which is another road to follow but you might want to check out the others 1st.

 

[bunchoberrys]

:hammer:Hi everyone. Charlie, my 3 yr. old has been itching non stop since December, 2010. The vet gave him a cortizone shot plus meds to take at home on a daily basis. Things got a little better. I started suspecting it was the shampoo (walmart's brand for babies) since it got worse after a bath in december, but even though I have not bathe him again since itching started, ran out of meds and the itching came back immediately.

He is miserable. I don't think he sleeps more than 10 minutes straight and he has to scratch.

I read another thread here about "winter itches", but let's be honest, we live in South Texas, it's 45 degrees high today and it's the coldest we've had so far.



He has been on Orijen since puppy and has never had an issue. He takes omega suplements on the side. This started in December and nothing has changed. I need your ideas/thoughts please. Charlie is my baby boy and he is suffering.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!!!:help:

Hi Charlies mom. This is what I tell my clients when they wish to groom their own dogs. Start with good brushes and good shampoo/conditioner. Human shampoo is a big no-no. Dogs and humans have a totally different PH. Baby shampoo is especially way too astringent on dogs coats. Since he has been itching so much I would suggest and oatmeal based shampoo and condtioner or a shampoo that has teatree oil in it. Even one that has black tar is good also. Before you bathe brush-brush-brush, get all the dead hair out, wash in lukewarm water not hot, it will irritate the skin more. Make sure the coat is soaked, fully saturated, *alot of people just get the top layer wet and think that its wet when in fact that they didn't get the undercoat saturated*. Apply the shampoo and let it sit on for at least 5 minutes, let it do its job. Then rinse, rinse, rinse. If you leave any shampoo in it will just irritate the skin more. Then apply your conditioner, I dilute mine because it is too darn thick, and most conditioners require you to dilute anyway. Once again let it sit for a few, then rinse. Towel dry well, brush again cause the conditioner will loosen up more dead hair, then dry some more, brush, etc. Sorry this is long, hope it helps